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OUR AMAZING COWS...Thread...
As many of you following our story here will know we have had some wild weather this winter - snow on the ground since Christmas Eve and over 2ft 6 for the last ten days or so.
As many of you following our story here will know we have had some wild weather this winter - snow on the ground since Christmas Eve and over 2ft 6 for the last ten days or so.
Last night the winds picked up and we have now had 18 hours of constant gales, blowing the snow into huge drifts and making life very very difficult. We can’t get from the front door up to the drive without clambering over a 5ft drift.
And this is our standard clothing...
And this is our standard clothing...
Throughout all of this our incredible, hardy wee mob of Shetlands and White Galloways have been living outside. First on the hill, then when they could no longer dig down to the long grass we moved them to our neighbour’s inbye land for a bale grazing project to improve the sward
When the weather got really bad we opened up the fence so they had the whole field, and could choose where they wanted to go to take shelter depending on the wind direction, as it was spinning and changing all the time, whipping up the snow.
I can’t quite explain just how horrendous the weather is today, granted our house is much higher and more exposed than where the cattle are, so it feels and sounds worse here than what they are experiencing! Our wee window is covered!!
So this morning they were happily hunkered under the trees at the top of the field, all looking bright eyed, dry, up for a fuss and both rumen and dung indications suggested they were well.
We got a text from our neighbour this afternoon saying they had disappeared but we weren’t worried as we knew exactly what they had done. The field dips down at the north end towards the river, we knew they would head down for shelter from the SW winds to snack on some tree twigs
When we got down for afternoon feed, no sign of them up by the bales where they usually come and wait for their feed...we put hay out then stomped down the field through thigh deep snow in places and there they were....
Chewing the cud, mutual grooming, rubbing against branches - all natural behavious indicating relaxed happy cows...an absolute picture of contentment and health. 
So we gave them a call, and up they came, tromping and stomping through snow up to their bellies, following the fence for their hay.
I almost don’t have the words to explain how proud, how impressed I am with their hardiness, their innate sense and ability to not just survive but thrive.
No concentrates or grain, a winter of just deferred grazing and hay.
I am SO pleased we are building up this herd!
No concentrates or grain, a winter of just deferred grazing and hay.
I am SO pleased we are building up this herd!
